Review by Shezma for Lovebites - Battle Against Damnation (2018)

As it's my nomination for December 2023, and I have already rated this but feel it deserves a full review. I don't remember how I found out about these women from Japan but they rock hard. This is a heavy and fun release with some super strong and memorable riffs and sing-along choruses for the most die-hard metal head.  You cannot deny their talent here even if you come out of this not liking it, you are going to get this stuck in your head. Especially the last song, "It was that moment when I saw your smile", come on if you don't just get all hyped and keep that in your head for days after listening to this I don't know what will. It's symphonic, it's epic, it's fast and heavy music and all in just 21 minutes and 4 songs. All 4 songs while power metal, also hit a different vibe which is when I first listened to this got me super excited and needed more of this. Starts off with an awesome riff that reminds me of Iron Maiden, then into Break The Wall which has a thrashy sound like Megadeth . Above the Black Sea gives off a bit of a symphonic metal vibe to me and may possibly the best guitar solos on this tight EP. They shred so hard here  it's not hard to headbang here. The final song Under The Red Sky is the catchiest,  reminds me of Nightwish if they got more speed. I just can't help to sing along, and you'll feel like your listening to a big moment in an anime movie.

I've been keeping up with Lovebites since I first heard this EP and although their newer album are still solid they are pretty much all just straight power metal and don't try out these cool different genre switches as much as they do here. I love this band and hope they come out with something else similar to this again where they just have fun and try things like this again even if it's not good I want to hear more. These are one of those underappreciated acts that the eastern world just don't get enough advertising but are absolutely worth checking out and keeping in your head for days after listening.